


the tale of the hunter and the white bird

by mellowly



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Human, Fairy Tale Style, M/M, Old Timey Stuff, Princes & Princesses, Romance, Symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 13:03:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellowly/pseuds/mellowly
Summary: once upon a time, there was a hunter.he encounters a bird.(or: how to fall for a prince.)





	the tale of the hunter and the white bird

_the hunter and the white bird_

 

Once, long ago, there was a lonely hunter who lived in the wild woods. They called him Tolys the Brave, for he had seen many battles, with men and wild creatures alike. He bore a sword and a green cloak, and he was handsome, just, and true.   
As a young man he had been mauled badly by a bear, and now lived alone, in belief that he could not be loved. He was content with this, and had lived so for many a year, surrounded only by the deep forest. 

Every morning he would get up and light the fire, and then he went hunting. He set traps and collected berries and fruits when the season was right, and sometimes he traveled to the village he had come from to sell furs and little things he crafted from wood. Often he traveled without horse, preferring to walk on his own two legs, whistling a song and speaking with the animals around him.

One day in spring, he took a shorter path through the thick woods, naming every tree and rock as he went, until he suddenly heard a dove's fearful call. Intrgued, he turned, and there was a bear-trap, and stuck between its jaws was a bird, with bright whte feathers. Its wing, caught in the steel, was broken and bleeding. Tolys hastily pried the trap apart, and the bird turned to him silently with golden eyes, and flew away. He saw that it bled, and would not get far, but he thought in his heart that dying free was better than dying trapped.

That night, Tolys dreamed.

In his dream, there was a raging fire, and a clear blue sky, and inside the fire, a pale creature danced, uncaring for the flames licking its skin. Tolys tried to call out and save the poor thing, but the creature turned on light feet and laughed at him. Then it became a blindingly white bird and vanished. 

He awoke to a sorrowful call like a dove beyond his window, and found that on his pillow lay a single white feather.

The next night, he dreamed again. This time, the fire was even brighter and closer, and he could see the shape of the dancing creature in the midst of it. Again, he tried to call out, and again the creature laughed, but it was not a joyful laughter. And yet again, the white bird flew away.

When Tolys woke up, there again was the haunting call outside, and another feather on his pillow. He tried to call back, but there was no answer.

The third night and the third dream, Tolys was inside the raging fire. He could see clearly now, what he had taken to be a creature was a man, young and pale with golden hair, dancing in the fire. When he reached out the man turned, and his fair face was full of sorrow, and at last he spoke. With a high, melodious voice, he said:

❝  _I weep, for thou have not come for me_  
 _I weep, for my wings are broken_  
 _I weep, for my call goes unheard by thee_  
 _I cannot find you again, love_  
 _Save me_  
 _Save me_ ❞

And Tolys awoke, alone, and the feather on his pillow was covered in blood. Upon hearing the dove's call for the third time, he stood, and went out to follow it. He ran to the path he had taken, by the stream, and lo! at his feet were white feathers, scattered like anemone flowers on the moss. Hastily, he went along, listening for the dove's call , but none came.  
At last, he stood on the shores of a pond, its clear-dark waters still. On the other side, he saw, as if in a vision, the creature from his dream.

The pale one from the fire, on the ground by the water, surrounded by pale-white flowers.   
Tolys ran ahead again, coming to kneel by the fallen form before him. 

The creature, seeming to flicker between a man and a bird, was watching him. Its wing was still broken and bleeding, and the human shape was too, tainting the flowers about him red with blood. Stilling as a bird, its beak opened, and the clear voice sounded again, now strained and sad:

❝  _Save me, good man_  
 _Fetch me water_  
 _Wash away the wounds_  
 _Save me_  
 _Save me_ ❞

Tolys, enraptured, did as he was bid, and fetched clear water from the pond to pour on the bird's wing. He washed it gently, and as the blood drained away and left the feathers clear and white, the creature shifted back into a man, smiling weakly up at him. He was naked, and completely so, but serene-looking as he lay in the moss. Then he spoke for the third time, hands outstretched for Tolys.

"My true name is Feliks, Bird-Prince of the forest. You have saved me from the trap I was in, and again you came for me when I called you. You are very brave, but even moreso kind. For this I thank you."

Tolys took the hands of the Bird-Prince, and had naught to say.

"Tell me your name, kind man. I wish to return you the kindness you gave me."

So he told him his name, and more too, that he need not any favour nor gift from such a beautiful thing. Feliks smiled to him, then, and stood up - his wounds had been healed by some magic in the water. Taking his hands, the Prince kissed them both, and Tolys was enraptured. 

"I name you Tolys the Benign. Tell me - Do you wish me to stay?"

The prince looked down at their joined hands, and so did Tolys, and he felt warm. 

"Yes, my prince, if you would, I should be glad."

"Then I stay."

The Bird-Prince kissed his brow, and smiled, and Tolys took him in his arms and rejoiced, for never before had he found someone so dear. And Feliks loved him in kind, for never had he found someone so good and true-hearted. The two of them intertwined their hearts, and Feliks gave him a crown of flowers, and they lay together there in the moss until the sun went down.

Once upon a time, there was a hunter and a prince who lived in the wild woods. Rumor has it that the hunter often travels out with a white bird beside him, and sometimes he dances in the woods beneath the moon, accompanied by a beautiful man with white flowers in his golden hair. They are much alike, and much different, and their love is ever young.  
  
And it is said by some that when the sad dove's call sounds above the trees, the hunter will not return with furs and wooden toys, for he will be gone.

 

_**end.** _


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